Magic, Mysteries, and Mayhem
by Colemet Milinia
Summary: Fred and George Weasley are more than ready to continue their antics at Hogwarts in their fifth year, including some real risks. But when they cross paths with a mysterious Ravenclaw witch on the Hogwarts Express, the twins' curiosity is sparked. The trio becomes fast friends, but Fred and George are concerned for their new companion. Who is Matilda White, and what is she hiding?
1. Chapter 1: The Hogwarts Express

**Quick note before the story begins: This story is set during Prisoner of Azkaban. I did my best to have the events in my story to coincide with the real events in the series, but there will be occasional discrepancies with the original plot.**

 **Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy the story!**

...

"Come on, Fred, George, quickly now!" Mrs. Weasley said feverishly as they all hustled across Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station. "You've got everything, haven't you? Your books, your robes?"

Mrs. Weasley was shepherding all of the Weasleys, Hermione, and Harry towards the train. Smoke whistled from the scarlet engine and witches and wizards were walking about everywhere, seeing their kids off on the Hogwarts Express. Fred and George were both lugging their trunks unceremoniously behind them as Mrs. Weasley seemed to triple check that all the children and their belongings were there.

"Goodness, woman, you'd think we haven't been to Hogwarts four times prior to this with the way that you're speaking," said Fred with mock exasperation.

"Well, I know how you two get!" Mrs. Weasley defended. She kissed them each on the cheek as they climbed the steps. "Love you, boys. Please be good."

"Love you too, Mum," the twins said together.

"Arthur! Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!" yelled Mrs. Weasley to her husband, who was talking to Harry as the whistle trilled again. The twins both lugged their trunks onto the train, leaving their family behind.

"Let's find a compartment," said George, and Fred nodded in agreement. They walked down the aisle of the carriage and peered in each compartment. They all seemed to be full... They finally reached one in which a lone witch sat, staring thoughtfully out the window as the train lurched and began to move. Fred and George both poked their heads in.

"Excuse me," said Fred with a friendly smile. The witch looked over. "Do you mind if we sit in here? The rest seem to be full."

"Not at all," she replied. Her voice was timid yet melodic.

Fred and George grinned and entered the compartment. "Thank you, that's very kind of you," said George. They hauled their trunks onto the luggage rack and sat down opposite to her, settling themselves. The witch looked at them curiously and cautiously, and George extended his hand to her. "My name is George. George Weasley. And this is Fred. And you are?"

She smiled thinly and shook George's hand. "My name is Matilda. Matilda White," she said.

"Pleasure to meet you, Matilda," Fred said enthusiastically, still smiling. Matilda, though seemingly shy, smiled at him. Fred and George got a good look at their travel companion as she did.

She was a small girl with pale skin and light freckles flecked across her cheeks and nose. She had wavy black hair that fell a bit past her shoulders, and her acute dark eyes were framed with rectangular glasses. Her face was pretty and angular, but seemingly full of mystery and reservation at the same time. The most notable physical attribute she had was a long, ragged scar that branded her neck. It was thick and disappeared beneath the neckline of her shirt. It looked as if something jagged and sharp had been dragged recklessly across her skin. Fred and George made note not to stare and merely smiled at her in an attempt to be friendly.

"So, Matilda, what year are you in?" George asked casually, leaning back in his seat.

"I'm in fifth year," Matilda replied.

"Really? So are we," said Fred. He tilted his head at her, as he didn't really recognize her. "You musn't be a Gryffindor."

Matilda shook her head. "No. I'm in Ravenclaw."

"Ah, that would make sense," Fred said, nodding. "We've been cheated out of class with Ravenclaws for years! Hopefully we'll have a few this year."

"Yeah, maybe Defense Against the Dark Arts," George said, nudging his brother. "You reckon we'll get a half decent teacher this year?"

"Hopefully," Fred replied. "But anyone has to be better than that Lockhart git. I just can't wait to learn about vampires and werewolves and grindylows...all sorts of Dark creatures. What about you, Matilda?"

When Fred and George looked at her, they saw that Matilda had suddenly clammed up at the mention of the subject. It took a second for her to reply. "Oh...oh, yes. Hopefully we'll have a much better teacher," she said absently. The twins both nodded but threw each other a sideways glance. Matilda was certainly shy... They wondered if they could break her out of that. Fred and George grinned at each other and both leaned forward.

"So, Matilda, tell us about yourself," Fred mused casually.

Matilda looked at the two of them as if this was a strange question. She seemed almost startled by their enthusiastic nature. "About myself?" she repeated.

"Yeah, just about you," said George. "For instance..." He motioned grandly to himself and his brother. "Fred and I here are the greatest mischief makers that Hogwarts has ever seen."

"Right you are, George," Fred said with confidence. "Best pranksters and jokesters for decades!"

"We're anomalies, really," George said in a mock casual tone.

"Legends, in truth," Fred bantered right back. At this, they both grinned and winked, and they saw Matilda smile too. She laughed melodically.

"Wow, what an honor it is to be sat with you on the train, then," Matilda said, playing along as well.

"Quite so, Miss White," George said, smirking and winking at her. He leaned back in his seat once again. "So, what about you? What's fantastic and interesting and exciting about you?"

Matilda shrugged a bit. "There's not really much interesting to say," she told them.

"Oh, rubbish," George said dismissively. He leaned forward again and, in a slightly gutsy move, indicated Matilda's neck. "Take that scar, for instance. That's pretty interesting. Where did that come from?"

At this, Matilda looked startled, almost affronted. Her hand went up, George guessed it was instinctively, to cover her scar. She stared at him for a moment, but George didn't falter. After a minute of shocked staring at George, her face finally softened. She realized that he didn't have cruel or malicious intent; he was innocently curious and genuine.

"I...I don't like to talk about it," she said quietly.

George put his hands up in surrender. "Fair enough," he said simply. He waved a hand in dismissal. "All right, I'll quit badgering you for now, but you ought to give me an answer in the future, got it?"

Matilda smiled a bit and nodded. "Okay."

George grinned and nodded, satisfied. Despite the fact that George had mentioned a seemingly sensitive topic, which Fred in turn elbowed him for when Matilda wasn't looking, Matilda seemed to warm up to them as the train ride went on. She smiled more and laughed a lot at their jokes. She seemed to Fred and George to have a nice personality despite her reserved nature. They taught her how to play Exploding Snap, which she seemed to like, and when the trolley came around, they bought loads of Chocolate Frogs, Licorice Wands, and a stack of Cauldron Cakes to share. Just as they were finishing their sweets, the lights flickered on the train.

Fred looked up at the light and scowled as he swallowed a Cauldron Cake. "That's peculiar. What's wrong with the lights?"

Matilda looked out the window, the landscape now dark and dreary with rain, and slowly coming more in focus; the train was slowing down. "We can't be at Hogwarts yet, can we?"

"No, we've still got a ways to go..." George said slowly. Just as he finished his sentence, the light on the train vanished completely. The train had stopped abruptly, and the rain could be heard pounding against the windows.

"What's happening?" Fred asked quickly.

"Shh, be quiet!" George said, who was straining to listen to any commotion.

" _Lumos,_ " whispered Matilda, whose wand in turn lit the dark compartment.

There was quite a bit of stirring heard just then on the train, compartment doors opening and murmurs of voices. Fred was now squinting out the window as well, trying to see through the raindrops and condensation. "Is something coming near the train?" he asked. Matilda looked around the compartment, guiding the light, her face looking like she had an ominous feeling.

Just then, a scream was heard from the train. George looked startled. "What in the bloody hell was...?"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. Their eyes widened as a large, floating, black-hooded creature hovered in the doorway of their compartment, which had slid open without any of them touching it. Fred and George gawked at the towering figure and immediately felt the happiness and life being drained from them, leaving a cold emptiness in its place. A cold draw of breath could be heard from the figure's black hood, as if the rattling itself was responsible for the life being sucked out of the room. The creature's face was unable to be seen, but a gnarled hand was visible from its billowing black cloak. George felt sick and clutched his brother's arm.

The creature hovered menacingly, its presence draining more of the warmth and cheer by the second. Matilda's wand was illuminating it ominously, but then the source of light suddenly dropped.

"Matilda?" George croaked. But then their eyes widened when they turned to their friend.

She had a glassy look in her eye, her face pale glazed over and locked in an expression of terror. Slowly but surely, the glassy look faded, soon replaced by evident dwindling consciousness until she collapsed completely. Fred and George regained enough of their senses to quickly support her.

"Help, somebody!" Fred called out as they hoisted Matilda back into her seat, though still unconscious. The compartment was still cold and hopeless, and everything seemed like a blur as Fred and George tried to help their friend.

"What happened to her?" George asked frantically as they propped up Matilda.

"I'm more concerned about THAT!" Fred said frantically, gesturing to the towering terror in the compartment door.

Just then, though, the towering figure seemed to be warded off. The twins saw a flash of silver outside the compartment, and the force seemed to deter the creature away. As it glided off, the world came back into focus for the twins and the cold finally began to fade. The lights came back on, and when they looked up, another person was stepping into their compartment. It was a man, rather young despite the tired and exhausted look of him. He had light brown hair with flecks of gray that certainly didn't match his young age. He was wearing a shabby set of wizard's robes and was tightly clutching his wand in his hand. As Fred and George looked up, he put his wand into his robes.

The stranger quickly went to Matilda's side and began to wake her, shaking her shoulder gently. He looked up at Fred and George briefly. "Are you boys okay?" he asked.

"We're fine," Fred said quickly, looking at his friend. "But what was that?!"

The stranger didn't answer, as Matilda began to wake up. She looked dazed and tired but blinked at the realization of light. The stranger supported her as she sat up. "Are you okay?" he asked her carefully.

"I...I'm okay," Matilda said, rubbing her head and still blinking. "What...what was that...?"

"It was a dementor. They're the guards of Azkaban." The stranger pulled a bar of chocolate from his pocket and broke it into pieces, handing one each to Fred, George, and Matilda. "Eat this, it'll help."

The twins and Matilda obeyed. Fred and George instantly felt some warmth replaced in themselves, and Matilda looked instantly better once she had a bite too, as her pallor and terror had all heightened with the dementor and her black out.

"A few dementors found their way onto the train," said the stranger grimly. "Three of them, I believe. That must've been the last one..."

"Is everyone else okay?" Fred asked quickly, concerned as to who else might've been in its presence. "Our brother and sister, they're-"

"They're fine. They were in the compartment I just came from," said the man. "A dementor first showed up there, but your siblings are fine. That's why I thought I'd check the rest of the train."

"Those things seemed to suck the life out of everything, the gits," said George. "I felt cold and empty and hopeless when it came in."

The stranger nodded. "That's what dementors do. They virtually suck the life out of everything, yes. Make you feel cold and lost. That's why they guard Azkaban."

"But what happened to me?" asked Matilda, who had apparently realized that she was the only one that reacted so badly. "Why did I fall unconscious?"

The man opened his mouth to respond, but hesitated. "Dementors, they...they prey on the bad feelings and memories a person has. Some have more than others. Their effect depends on the person." He left it at that, not seeming to want to say much more. "If you'll excuse me..." He quickly left the compartment and headed down the carriage.

Fred, George and Matilda all settled back down and finished their chocolate. The twins looked hesitantly at each other, then at their new friend, who still looked a bit shaken. "Are you sure you're all right, Matilda?" Fred asked hesitantly.

"I'm fine," she said quickly without looking at them. "I...I'll be fine..."

Her tone made the matter sound final, so Fred and George dropped it. They rode the rest of the way to Hogwarts in silence. When they finally arrived at Hogsmeade Station, most students seemed a little frantic by the appearances of the dementors. Matilda seemed to pretend not to notice. As the twins and Matilda fought their way through the rain into the carriage, Fred and George just hoped that their new friend was all right...


	2. Chapter 2: Friends and Foes

After fighting through the buckets of rain, the carriages finally made it to the castle, where they were welcomed into the Great Hall for the start of term feast. Fred and George watched Matilda closely as she made her way to the Ravenclaw table, still worried about their new acquaintance. She seemed to make it there okay, so they sat down at their own House table.

The feast was as it always was; elaborate, filling, and fun. Fred and George watched the Sorting, cheering loudly every time a first year was sorted into Gryffindor. They filled up on delicious food that magically refilled itself on their plates, and they listened to Dumbledore's start of term announcements.

Fred and George scowled when Dumbledore confirmed the placement of the dementors at the entrances to the school grounds. Such a grim fate for Hogwarts, and now they couldn't help but worry about Matilda. They didn't want her freezing in horror each time she came across one...

In addition, they found that the man who had helped Matilda on the train turned out to be Professor Remus Lupin, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Fred and George were pleasantly surprised; Professor Lupin seemed more than capable on the train. Perhaps he would be a decent teacher as well.

Soon enough, Dumbledore dismissed them to their dormitories for the night, and all of the students filed out of the double doors. Fred and George, straggling behind, exited the Great Hall towards the end.

When they got out into the corridor, they were greeted with an unpleasant sight. Michael Armada, a Slytherin fifth year, was laughing maniacally, followed by a few of his Slytherin underlings, as he shoved none other than Matilda White into the wall. Michael laughed even harder as she hit the wall with a sound of pain and fell, clutching her hit shoulder.

"What's the matter, Matilda?" Michael taunted as a few students gathered around to watch. "Can't stay on your feet, can you?"

The sight infuriated Fred and George. "Oi! Armada!" Fred yelled to him as George rushed to help Matilda up. "How 'bout you pick on someone your own size?"

Fred strode confidently up, ready to fight him if need be, but instead, Michael just laughed and looked at Matilda. "Oh, is this what you've got?" he sneered. "A couple of Weasleys as your protectors?"

"We're not her protectors," Fred snarled. "We're her friends."

Michael scoffed and laughed, and a few of his cronies joined. "What a laugh! Matilda White has got friends to her name!" He threw a glance at Matilda, who was glaring at him maliciously. "See you around, White. Try to stay on your feet next time." He strode off, along with the student onlookers who were now leaving the scene.

"Are you all right?" George asked as he helped Matilda to her feet, Fred rushing over now as well.

"I'm fine," she muttered, brushing herself off. She glared in the direction Michael had gone. "I hate him," she murmured fiercely. The intensity and malice behind her quiet voice startled Fred and George; they didn't know she could be so angry.

Matilda was still holding her shoulder. "You're hurt," George said. "Let's have a look..." With some slight struggling on Matilda's part, he got her to remove her robe off her shoulder and he rolled up her sleeve so he could see her skin.

"Just some bruising." George took out his wand and pointed it at her shoulder, then he muttered a spell. Instantly, her shoulder repaired itself.

Matilda looked surprised. "How did you know how to do that?"

George smirked. "We've been through our fair share of shenanigans to know how to be prepared." He rubbed the spot on her shoulder. He couldn't help but notice that the tail end of the scar that brandished her neck was just barely able to be seen on the top of her bared shoulder; perhaps that's why she was reluctant to let him see... "Good as new."

"Thank you," Matilda said gratefully, hastily pulling her sleeve down and shrugging her robe back on.

"Not a problem," Fred said with a wink. "It's what we do." Matilda gave them a small smile.

They bid goodnight to Matilda and headed back to their own common room to turn in for the night. They had a found a new friend in a shy Ravenclaw witch...

...

After breakfast the next morning, Fred and George headed to their first lesson of the new term, which was Potions. They groaned at the prospect of having to deal with Snape right out of the gate of the term, but they were pleased to see that they had class with the Ravenclaws fifth years as a first. Fred and George were happy to see their new friend again.

They got into the Potions classroom, only two minutes late for once. Professor Snape was already standing at the front of the classroom, looking rather irritated as the twins walked in.

"Late on the first day of class, boys?" Snape droned. "This is not setting you off to a good start for the year."

"Sorry, Professor," Fred said apologetically. "Start of term. You know how it goes."

Their professor rolled his eyes in a rather bored manner. "Quite, Weasley," said Snape in the

most unamused voice. "Now sit down quickly, before my start of term generosity disappears and I give you detention."

"Yes, sir." Fred and George hastily took seats next to Matilda, who smiled gently at them in greeting.

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," Snape continued his lesson, "who can tell me what three ingredients we've added to our regimen this year?"

Surprisingly enough, George raised his hand, the only one brave enough to do so. Snape regarded him with slight surprise. "Yes, Weasley?"

"Phoenix feathers, powdered dragon's tooth, and essence of mandrake," George answered confidently. His mum had made him all but memorize his school list for this year before visiting Diagon Alley, so he had these ingredients down pact.

"Quite so," Snape drawled, pacing slowly up and down the front of the classroom. "And can anyone tell me what these ingredients together make?"

This time, another general surprise to Professor Snape, Matilda slowly raised her hand. "Miss White?" he asked, looking at her with his hands clasped in front of him.

"They make an Immunity Potion," Matilda answered. "The potion will immune the drinker to any curse that is placed on them."

"Very good, Miss White. Five points to Ravenclaw," Snape replied, though there was no true emotion or gratitude in his voice.

George scoffed under his breath. "I got the ingredients, why didn't I get five points?" muttered George to his brother. Fred shrugged.

Snape heard this remark, though it was quiet. "I suggest you watch your mouth and do not test my patience anymore, Mr. Weasley, as you already came in late. Open your mouth again and you will lose five points for your House." George, fuming, clamped his mouth shut.

"You will be making an Immunity Potion later this year, once you become familiar with the uses and properties of these three ingredients," Snape told the class. "Today, however, you will be creating a simple Memory Enhancement Potion, which uses only a pinch of powdered dragon's tooth. Understand?" The class nodded. "Okay. Off to work."

Since there was an odd number of people in the class and they were working in pairs, Snape reluctantly allowed Fred, George, and Matilda to work together on their potion. About halfway through, as Fred was slowly stirring the cauldron, Snape approached their table.

"Haven't blown anything up yet?" he asked the group bitterly.

"Not quite yet, Professor," George mused. "Though it is early in the term." He winked, but Snape did not see the amusement.

"Right, Weasley..." He rolled his eyes and then turned his dark gaze on Matilda. "The headmaster would like to see you after class, Miss White. Do see him with all regards, yes?"

The whole class seemed to hear this and most had gone quiet, now staring at Matilda. A few people began to whisper, but Matilda just nodded stiffly. "Yes, Professor," she said quietly.

"Very good. Carry on, you three. Please keep these two in line, Miss White." Snape strode off to check on other groups. As he did, Fred and George threw each other a sideways glance. What did Professor Dumbledore need with Matilda? It couldn't be about the scuffle with Michael Armada, could it? She had done nothing wrong. Matilda, on the other hand, didn't look surprised by this notice. She only looked uncomfortable with everyone staring at her.

"What was that about?" George asked Matilda once things seemed to return to normal. "Do you know what Dumbledore wants with you?"

Matilda didn't look at him. "It's nothing important," she said. "Probably about my course schedule or something..." She added the pinch of powdered dragon tooth to their potion and it turned a grotesque shade of orange.

Fred and George looked at each other again, suspicious. Matilda didn't seem to be telling the whole truth, but she obviously didn't want to talk about it either. They would have to get to the bottom of this somehow...

By the time class ended, Fred, George, and Matilda had managed to successfully make a Memory Enhancement Potion, much to the surprise of Snape. They showed him their work, and when the bell rang, the whole class hurried quickly out of the classroom, Matilda especially.

Fred and George both frowned. She's off to see Dumbledore in a hurry... Perhaps one of the other students in the class knew what she was there for. As they gathered their books and exited the classroom, they caught up with another fifth year Ravenclaw girl, Alyssa Lamb.

"Alyssa, wait up!" Fred called, catching up to her.

She turned her head and saw them coming. "Oh. Hi, Fred. Hi, George. What's up?" she asked.

They walked alongside her in in the corridor. "We were just wondering about Matilda," George said conversationally. Matilda and Alyssa seemed to be good enough friends. The twins saw them talking on more than one occasion, so they figured she was a safe person to ask. "Do you know why she had to go to Dumbledore's office?"

Alyssa shook her head and shrugged. "Beats me," she replied.

"Why did everyone seem to know when Professor Snape told her that?" George asked.

"Because this happens every year," Alyssa replied simply. "Matilda is always called to the headmaster's office right at the beginning of each year."

Fred frowned. "But no one knows why?"

Alyssa shook her head. "No," she replied. "A few people have asked her, including me, but she never wants to talk about it. She's never really told anyone why."

"How peculiar..." George mused.

"Yeah. You'll have to talk to her if you want to know." Alyssa stopped and pointed down the next corridor. "I have to go to Astronomy. I'll see you guys later."

They thanked Alyssa and bid her goodbye, then headed back to the common room to wait for their next lesson. However, they couldn't keep their mind off their curious new friend...


	3. Chapter 3: The Yearly Meeting

Matilda rushed out of Potions and quickly made her way to Dumbledore's office. She had been there many times prior, so she knew the way. After passing the gargoyle and climbing the spiral staircase to reach his office, she knocked on the door.

"Come in," called the kind voice of the headmaster.

Matilda pushed open the door slowly and entered his office. Dumbledore smiled kindly at her, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles. "Miss White. How lovely to see you. Please, sit."

Matilda closed the door behind her and took a seat opposite to the headmaster. Despite going through this each year at Hogwarts to the point where it was routine, she still felt nervous. She folded her hands in her lap.

Dumbledore rested his elbows on his desktop and pressed the tips of his fingers together. "I trust your summer holidays were enjoyable?"

"Yes, sir," she replied. "Thank you."

"I'm pleased to hear that. Now, onto business," Dumbledore said. He regarded her curiously over his spectacles. "I assume you'd like to keep the same precautions in place as last year?"

"Yes, Professor," Matilda replied nervously. "I...I think that would be best."

Dumbledore nodded. "Quite so, Miss White," he said. "Is there anything else on the subject you'd like to bring to my attention? Any further precautions you'd like to ensue?"

Matilda thought about it. There wasn't anything more she believed they could do, no matter how much she thought about it. She pondered it constantly, but options always seemed so limited. "No, sir. Not that I can think of at the moment. "

Dumbledore nodded again, understanding. "All right," he said quietly. He was quiet for a moment, then looked solemnly at Matilda, his eyes seeming to cut right through her, as if seeing right into her mind and her fears. "If any other sort of concerns or problems arise, you are welcome to come directly to me. You understand that, yes?"

"Yes, I do. Thank you very much," she said, and she did know it to be true. Dumbledore was always there to aid her in her troubles, but she rarely wanted to use the resource. He had already done so much to help her.

"You're quite welcome. And Matilda," Dumbledore said, looking into her eyes. He could see the worry, the trouble in the young witch's face. He smiled reassuringly. "You're going to be just fine. You have been since the year you came to Hogwarts. You're not the first student to come here under these circumstances. But you needn't worry."

Matilda smiled slightly; she couldn't help it at the headmaster's convincing encouragement. He was right; she had been fine every year. "Thank you, Professor. I'll be sure to see you if anything comes up."

Dumbledore smiled. "That's what I like to here," he replied. "Now, you should be off. It's almost time for lunch."

Matilda stood up and smoothed down her robes. "Yes, of course," she replied. "Thank you, sir."

"Anytime, Matilda," he said. "What other upcoming classes do you have?"

"I have Divination later and Defense Against the Dark Arts tomorrow," Matilda told him.

Dumbledore smiled fondly. "Ah, Defense Against the Dark Arts," he mused. "I hope you enjoy it. I believe you'll find Professor Lupin to be a rather intriguing teacher."

Matilda stared at him for a moment. She was wondering what the twinkle in his eye meant... "Yes, I'm sure," she said, unknowing of what else to say. "I...I suppose I should be going."

"Indeed," Dumbledore agreed. "Take care, Miss White."

"Goodbye, Professor." She left his office and went down the spiral stair case. Dumbledore was right; it was about lunch time. She began to head to the Great Hall when she was soon caught up to by Fred and George.

"Matilda!" George called as he and Fred jogged up beside her. "Matilda, wait up."

She slowed down and smiled at her friends. "Hey. How's it going?"

"We're fine," Fred replied as they finally started walking alongside her. "We're more worried about you."

Matilda frowned. "Why me?" she asked.

They looked at her as if she had gone daft. "Well, you ran out of Potions without so much as a goodbye," Fred said.

"And to see the headmaster?" George asked, raising his eyebrows. "What was that all about?"

Matilda was taken aback by their questions. "I...I told you, it was nothing important..." she said, her voice uncertain. "Really, it's nothing to worry about."

"If it's nothing of concern, then I'm sure you wouldn't mind telling us," Fred said coolly.

Matilda sighed. They were far too curious... "Fred, it's not like that-"

"Then what is it?" George interrupted. "Come on, Matilda. We're your friends. You can tell us."

Matilda looked up at them. They were looking down at her with such concern and care; under their joking, carefree exterior, they were both very caring people. They were only looking out for her. She couldn't stand to tell them the truth, but she couldn't stand to lie to them either.

"I...I'm sorry," she said quietly. "But I just...can't talk about it." She sighed. "I'll...I'll see you guys later." With that, she quickly hurried off to the Great Hall, Fred and George helplessly watching her go.

Matilda felt bad; she knew that Fred and George meant well, but she was just in such a tough place. She had to figure out how to balance it all...

...

Fred and George were distraught and concerned for their new friend. They couldn't understand why she wouldn't tell them what was going on. Fred and George were both good at heart; they had the effortless ability to make anyone around them relax and trust them. But Matilda was proving to be a challenge for them; the only reason they were so pressing was because they cared. Maybe they just needed to give her some space...

The twins didn't see her until the next day. As it turned out, the Gryffindor fifth years had Defense Against the Dark Arts with Ravenclaw as well. Anxious to test out the new teacher, Fred and George arrived to class on time and took a seat on either side of Matilda, who was already there. She looked at each of them nervously, as if she expected them to be angry with her, but the twins acted as if nothing was wrong. After all, they couldn't truly be angry with Matilda; she was entitled to her privacy.

"Excited to meet the new teacher?" Fred asked her.

"Didn't we meet him briefly already?" she asked in reply. "He was the man that helped us on the train, wasn't he?"

George nodded. "Yeah, that was him. He seemed capable enough." Just as George finished his sentence, their teacher walked in.

"Good morning, class," he greeted everyone. He set his briefcase down. He smiled at the class as he faced them. "My name is Professor Lupin, and I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

The class mumbled. As far as Fred and George could tell, Professor Lupin looked less ill and less exhausted than he had on the train, but he still had an ashen nature to his face. His robes were just as shabby as well.

"Right then, let's get right to it," he said, pulling the class back in. "Today, first lesson and all, we'll be battling a boggart." The class mumbled excitedly; they hadn't done anything so hands on in a while, what with Lockhart and Quirrell being their teachers the past two years. "As it goes, a few have nestled themselves in some closets here over the summer holidays, so the headmaster has kindly allowed me to dispose of them while giving practice to my students."

A few minutes later, the fifth years herded themselves to an empty corridor with Professor Lupin, where a lone wardrobe sat at the end of it. The wardrobe was locked shut, but it was trembling, as if something was trying to force it's way out.

"Now, in here is the boggart. Does everyone know what a boggart does?" Professor Lupin addressed the class.

"It turns into what it thinks you will fear most," said a Ravenclaw boy.

"Very good," Professor Lupin said. "And to defeat it you use a spell that..."

"Turns it into something humorous or less scary, as long as you're focusing on it," answered a Gryffindor girl.

"Right again," Professor Lupin commended. "And the spell to subdue it is...?"

" _Riddikulus_!" Fred and George shouted at the same time. They grinned and high-fived as Matilda laughed gently. It was their favorite spell to say.

"Good," Professor Lupin said again, smiling at the humor himself. "Looks like you guys are old pros on boggarts. I'm having my third and fourth years practice as well, so this should be old hat to you. Let's see if your skills match your knowledge."

Fred and George grinned at each other, bouncing with excitement. They learned about boggarts briefly in their third year, but they never had a chance to fight one. They were excited for the chance. Matilda, meanwhile, looked a little nervous, but she looked ready at the same time, her wand poised for attack.

Professor Lupin looked around, and once his class seemed ready, he released the boggart. "Fred, go!" he ordered, seeing as the twins were bursting with excitement.

The boggart came straight for him. It took the form of Lord Voldemort, but the boggart struggled to take a true form because of Voldemort's downfall, and therefore lack of a true body.

" _Riddikulus_!" shouted Fred, pointing his wand. The spell hit the struggling form, which turned instantly into a Dungbomb, a thorough contrast. Fred let out a cackle of glee.

The boggart receded towards Angelina Johnson, a Gryffindor girl. It changed itself into a vicious looking vampire. " _Riddikulus_!" Angelina shouted. The vampire looked confused for a moment before its fangs popped out and and spun around in front of it, and its cape flew off. Angelina grinned.

"Very good, everyone, very good!" Professor Lupin shouted. "Keep going!"

The boggart kept making its rounds to students, who all successfully battled it off with their spell. The boggart went _crack!_ with every change, and it was soon becoming confused. Finally, it got to Matilda, who braced her wand tightly.

"Okay, Matilda, you can finish it off!" coached Professor Lupin. "Get ready!"

The boggart appeared in front of her, and Matilda gulped as it slowly transformed into a werewolf. Fred and George watched with curiosity. Matilda was afraid of werewolves?

Matilda gripped her wand tightly and pointed it at the boggart as she stared it down. " _Riddikulus!"_ she shouted confidently. With the final word, the boggart lost itself, and it popped into a cloud of smoke, which soon dissipated. The whole class cheered.

Professor Lupin was smiling widely at the class. "Excellent job, everybody. Ten points to Ravenclaw and ten points to Gryffindor!" The class cheered again. "It was good to see you working all together to take down the boggart. I think that served as a suitable review for you, wouldn't you say?" The class nodded their agreement.

"I noticed a few people's boggart transformed into werewolves," Professor Lupin continued. George felt Matilda stiffen beside him. He discreetly reached and rubbed her back reassuringly, and she noticeably relaxed. "This is a good segway into our next topic, as our first topic we're going to cover is werewolves. I don't suppose you've covered them already?"

"We were meant to last year, but our teacher was such a doltz he only talked about the time he defeated one," scoffed a Ravenclaw boy.

"Ah, yes," said Lupin. "Well, I suppose that will make a good first topic for us to cover then, yes?" The class agreed. "Right then, I'll see you on Thursday. Class dismissed."


	4. Chapter 4: Absence Overnight

**A quick note...I know that this seems like it's mirroring the series a lot, almost copying with the dementor attack and the boggart fighting in Prisoner of Azkaban, but I promise it's not intentional copying and that it all has a distinctive purpose. It will come to pass soon, and I hope you'll be able to see the method behind it as you read on. :)**

 **Of course, thank you for reading, and thank you to those who are favoriting and following, I really appreciate the support. :) I hope you enjoy the story!**

...

"Matilda, may I have a word?"

Matilda was surprised to hear this from Professor Lupin at the end of class, and it set her on a nervous edge. What did he want with her? She turned back to him as the other students departed. "Yes, sir?" she asked, clutching her books tightly to her chest.

Professor Lupin smiled gently at her once they were alone. "I first wanted to congratulate you on destroying the boggart. That was a very powerful spell that you cast. You're a very powerful young witch."

"Thank you," Matilda replied, smiling slightly from the compliment. In all honesty, she was very fearful of her boggart, but she was proud of the spell she had cast as well, the spell that had rid of it in the end.

Professor Lupin nodded. "Second," he said, leaning against his desk, "I wanted to talk about what your boggart actually was."

Matilda's grip tightened on her books. She was afraid this was coming... "What about it?" she asked, her voice maintaining a casual tone to it.

Professor Lupin seemed to consider how to best go about this conversation. "Well, as I said, we'll be studying werewolves in class for the next few weeks or so. And when I mentioned that you looked rather...shaken. Would you like to tell me about that?" He was regarding her very cautiously, as if afraid to touch on the topic.

Matilda looked at him cynically. "I'm not sure what you want me to say," she replied hesitantly.

Professor Lupin sighed. "Allow me to be blunt, then; what is your fear of werewolves?" he asked her. When he saw how startled she was by this, he tried to soften it. "This isn't an attack. I'm just trying to find the best way to go about teaching you, that's all."

Matilda frowned. "What does it matter if I'm afraid?" she asked him.

"It matters because I don't want you to have to be afraid," he replied to her, looking at her earnestly. "I don't want you to worry about coming to class because of something you're not yet prepared to handle. If there's something I can do to make this easier for you as we go through these lessons, I want to do it."

"I can handle it," Matilda said defensively. She shook her head. "There's nothing you can do. It...it is what it is..."

Professor Lupin looked at her sadly. "I only want to help, Matilda..."

"I know you do. And I appreciate that," she said, trying to keep herself composed. This was a conversation that was really difficult for her to have... "But this can't be helped. I accepted that long ago." She gathered the rest of her things quickly. "I really should be going, Professor, I don't want to be late."

Professor Lupin looked as if he wanted to say something more, but he held himself back. "Yes, of course, Matilda," he resigned quietly. "I'll see you at our next lesson. Take care."

"You too, Professor." With that, Matilda made haste and hurried out.

Professor Lupin sighed as he watched her go. He couldn't make Matilda talk to him about it. After all, it was only the first day. But he couldn't hold himself back after he saw her boggart, her look of fear at the mention of werewolves, and most of all, the prominent scar that scrawled her neck. It was undoubtedly the scar of a werewolf scratch.

...

Matilda did her best to get through the next few weeks without event. She enjoyed the friendship she had forged with Fred and George Weasley, who seemed to make her smile even in the bleakest of times. They were slowly becoming an inseparable trio, and Matilda was really happy with the company for once. They all studied together in the library and got scolded when they tried to play Exploding Snap. They walked around the grounds on the weekends while the weather was still mild and just talked. Matilda learned a lot about Fred and George; how their father worked for the Ministry of Magic, how all of their siblings have been through Hogwarts, and they even told her about the joke shop they wanted to open in the future.

"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," Fred said as they walked the grounds one sunny Saturday, squaring the air in front of him as if he could see the sign in front of them. "We're already developing our products and everything."

"Wow," Matilda said as they told the story. "That's quite elaborate." She was smiling.

George grinned. "It's all we've really wanted to do. Make people laugh."

Matilda chuckled. "Well, it certainly works on me," she said. "How do your parents feel about you opening a joke shop?"

Fred's grin lessened slightly. "Well...our mum isn't exactly supportive...but she'll warm up to the idea," Fred assured. "Our older siblings have all had more...practical goals."

"Your whole family is magical?" Matilda asked.

George nodded. "Our mum is a witch and our dad is a wizard. We have four brothers and one sister. Bill and Charlie have both been through Hogwarts. Ginny is second year, Ron is third year, and Percy is seventh year."

"And Head Boy, he'll never let you forget," Fred added with contempt.

"Wow," Matilda said, smiling. It sounded great, having such a big family...

"What about you?" George asked her.

She was surprised. "Me?" she asked.

Fred chuckled. "No, the other person we're strolling along with," he said sarcastically, nudging her. She smiled. "So what's your family like?"

"Uh...nothing really exciting like you guys," Matilda told them. "I'm an only child. My dad is a wizard and my mum was a Muggle..."

"Oh," said George, nodding. "You get on well with your parents?"

Matilda nodded. "Yeah...they're my best friends," she said quietly with a small smile.

George smiled. "That's good, when they're all you've got."

Matilda nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is..."

Matilda knew that part of them continuously told these stories and asked the same of her in an effort to get her to talk about herself, but she only took the bait sometimes. She had never been great at making friends, and being so closed up by nature, she found confiding in them difficult, even though she knew their intentions were good. But she did her best with them.

Matilda was still slightly wary of Professor Lupin at the same time. He hadn't reached out much more, but she could tell that he was keeping a close eye on her in class. She knew, though, just as it was with the twins, that it was all pure of heart. Professor Lupin was only concerned for her. She tried to take it as a compliment, but she still did her best to stay under the radar. She didn't want any extra attention.

It was calm seas for a while. But Matilda still had her true problem hanging over her head...

...

The next few weeks of term flew by for Fred and George, and in that time, the twins did their best to get closer to Matilda. They had accepted that Matilda was reserved by nature; she was afraid to let people in. But because of that, Fred and George had turned her into their own personal project. They put their normal shenanigans aside and instead conspired on how they intended to crack the code of Matilda White, and they were finding that the first part of cracking that code was simply by being her friend, something they knew how to do well.

Things seemed to be going rather well until one day, Matilda seemingly disappeared.

"She wasn't in Potions, she wasn't at lunch, and she wasn't even at dinner," George said, perplexed to the highest order. "Where could she be?"

"I dunno," Fred said, equally puzzled. "I looked for her in the library and in all the corridors. I even asked a few Ravenclaws, and none of them have seen her."

"She couldn't have just disappeared," George said. "Someone would have noticed."

"Maybe we should go to Dumbledore?" Fred suggested. They figured it was their only option, as they were very concerned for Matilda, so they mustered up their courage and went to visit the headmaster.

They were escorted to his office by Professor McGonagall, who seemed suspicious that they requested to see Professor Dumbledore, but she didn't ask any questions. They went up the staircase and knocked on Professor Dumbledore's door rather feverishly.

"Enter," said the headmaster.

Fred and George entered quickly and sat down across from Dumbledore without being asked. Dumbledore looked surprised to see them. "Boys, what a...pleasant surprise," he said in greeting. He looked at them through his half moon spectacles. "You both seem troubled. Is there something you'd like to talk about?"

"There is, sir," said George, trying to calm his voice. "We're worried about our friend...she's a Ravenclaw fifth year, you see."

"Her name is Matilda," Fred continued. "And...she seems to have almost...gone missing."

"No one has seen her," George said. "We're worried."

Dumbledore gave a small smile. "Ah, yes, Miss White," he said calmly. "No, she has certainly not gone missing. She had to return home for a few days. Her father has fallen ill."

George frowned, but hearing that she was safe and accounted for allowed him to relax for a moment. "She left so suddenly. Why didn't she tell us?" he asked.

Dumbledore considered this. "It was quite sudden. She had to leave rather quickly."

"Will her father be okay?" Fred asked quickly.

"I'm certain he will make a full recovery," Dumbledore assured them. There seemed to be no uncertainty in his voice.

Fred and George were a little displaced at this. It seemed odd... "Are...are you sure that's all that's going on with her, sir?" George asked him.

Dumbledore seemed very subtly taken aback by this. "Yes, I'm sure that is all that it is. Is there anything else you're concerned about?"

Fred and George were silent for a moment. They thought about Matilda's reaction to the dementor, her suspicious scar, her closed up nature...they were concerned for her. But they couldn't truly say so.

"No, sir," replied Fred. "That...that's all."

Dumbledore stared at them for a moment, seeming to stare through them. He knew they weren't being entirely truthful, but he left it at that. "All right, boys. Enjoy your evening."

The twins stood up. "Yes, sir. Thank you." With that, they departed.

They walked down the corridor towards the portrait of the fat lady, the entrance to their common room.

"At least we know Matilda is okay," George said meekly after a long silence.

"Be honest, George," Fred said sharply. "There's something more going on. Nothing about Matilda adds up."

"What, you don't believe Matilda is at home with her father?" George asked.

"No, no, that's not what I mean," Fred said, waving his hand impatiently. "I'm sure she's at home. But really, George, you don't expect that anything more is going on with her?"

"Well...maybe..." George said quietly. "But...I don't see..."

"You couldn't tell by the way Dumbledore was speaking?" Fred continued, shaking his head. "He knows something we don't."

"It's still early, Fred," George said. "We've only known Matilda for a few weeks. Just give her time, she'll open up to us eventually."

"We don't have time for eventually," Fred spat. They got to the portrait, finally, and gave the password. The common room was mostly devoid of people, so they sat down in front of the fire by themselves. "What if something is wrong, George? We won't be there to help her."

"Perhaps she's being helped already," George offered, but he didn't even sound convincing to himself.

Fred scoffed. "Dumbledore seemed to know what was going on," he pointed out testily. "But otherwise, Matilda is on her own. She doesn't know how to let other people in. We may be her only hope, George."

George looked wary. "Perhaps..." he admitted. "But we can't make her talk to us. At least we know Dumbledore is on her side. But until that changes, the best we can be are her friends."

Fred sighed. George was always more of a softy than he was, but both boys were fiercely loyal and caring. But he knew his brother was right.

Fred stared into the fire. Quietly, he said, "Perhaps that's all it will take."


	5. Chapter 5: Suspicions

**Hi! I'm sorry for such a long gap between updates, but thank you for being patient and continuing to read if you have. :) I'm hoping to update this story once a week, probably on Saturdays or Sundays. I'll try to stick to that, but if I miss the mark sometimes, I truly apologize! Thanks again for reading. :)**

...

The day following the twins' meeting with Dumbledore, they finally spotted Matilda again. She was in the library at a table all by herself. She had many books and pieces of parchment surrounding her; she must have been playing catch up from the classes that she missed.

"Matilda!" Fred and George yelled in unison when they spotted her, which earned them a harsh shushing from Madam Pince.

Matilda looked up quickly with wide eyes, though tired eyes, obviously not expecting to be confronted this way. "Oh," she said nervously. "Hi, guys..."

Fred and George made to sit down, but they both stopped dead when they got a good look at Matilda. When she looked up, they saw that she was intensely pale, paler than usual, and she had dark circles under her eyes. She looked exhausted and lifeless, as if she had aged immensely over the past few days somehow. Fred and George gaped. "Matilda, what happened to you?"

"Nothing," she replied. "Just tired and a bit under the weather, that's all..." The excuse sounded well-rehearsed, but neither of the twins pointed this out, they only shot each other a knowing glance. They both sat down in chairs on each side of her.

"Where in the world have you been?" Fred demanded, both of them leaning towards her accusingly.

Matilda swallowed hard. "I...I've been at home...caring for my father..."

"Why didn't you tell us where you were going?" George asked. "We were worried sick!"

Matilda looked down guiltily. "I...I'm really sorry," she said quietly. "It was just...sudden. I should have told you before I left."

There was silence for a moment before Fred and George both gave a small sigh. They couldn't stay mad at their timid friend. They were just so worried about her when she had gone...

"Just...don't scare us like that," Fred said finally, his voice much calmer and gentle. "How is your father feeling?"

"He's much better," Matilda assured them quietly, looking a bit more relieved and relaxed now that they had forgiven her. "Nearly back to normal."

"How are _you_ feeling?" George asked her with raised eyebrows, alluding to her tired and sickly appearance.

"I...I'm fine. Just a little worn out," she said passively. "It's just...hard being home and taking care of him. It's a lot of work. I think I may have gotten a touch of what he had..."

"Why couldn't your mum take care of him?" George asked curiously, tilting his head.

Matilda went quiet. The deafening silence and Matilda's stiff expression told them that they had hit a sensitive topic. They threw nervous sideways glances at each other as they waited for Matilda to speak.

Matilda finally spoke, but she did so with difficulty. She couldn't seem to look at them. "My...My mother died when I was eight years old," she said quietly, her voice nearly a whisper. "It's just me and my dad now. He's all I have now."

Fred and George looked at her sadly. They hadn't realized... "Why didn't you tell us?" Fred asked her, his heart hurting for his friend. They even asked her about her family, and she never made a mention of it...

Matilda sighed. "It's just... too hard for me to talk about." She finally looked up at them, and they saw tears glistening in her eyes. "I'm so sorry...I should have told you."

"No, it's okay, Matilda," George assured putting his hand on her arm gently, trying to comfort her. "I'm so sorry that you lost your mum...we had no idea..." George couldn't imagine losing his mum... Sure, she annoyed him from time to time, but she was still his mum and he loved her no matter what. He sympathized with Matilda greatly, and so did George.

Fred looked at her with a serious expression. "You know you can talk to us about anything, don't you?" he told her quietly. "We're your friends. We're here for you no matter what."

Matilda looked up at them and smiled weakly. "Thanks," she said quietly. "It's...really nice to have friends like you."

"Of course. It's what we're here for." George smiled.

"Now," Fred said, as he shut Matilda's book and set it aside. "You can play catch up later. But for now, I think a chocolate frog and a game of Wizard's Chess are in order."

Matilda's expression slowly broke into a smile. Fred took her hand and pulled her to her feet, and the twins both took armfuls of books and parchment for her.

"Are you sure?" Matilda asked.

Fred grinned. "Never been more sure of anything, Matilda. On with it."

So they went out to the grounds together and enjoyed the sunshine before it was gone for the winter. It was the very end of September, and it was growing rather cool. However, the weather was still mild enough to be enjoyed, and the three friends didn't ever let it go to waste.

...

After spending the afternoon with Fred and George, Matilda headed straight up to Dumbledore's office. She needed to speak with him... She paced around his office, hardly admiring its outlandish beauty as usual. Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, squawked in its cage.

After what seemed like ages, Dumbledore came in. He looked startled for a moment to see her, as if her visit was entirely unexpected. "Miss White," he said politely, sitting in his chair. "How lovely to see you. How are you feeling?" His eyes scanned over Matilda, her fatigued and sickly appearance evident.

"I...I'm okay," she said. "Recovering can be rather grueling sometimes..."

"I can imagine it must be," Dumbledore said sympathetically. He waved his wand and a comfortable-looking chair appeared from thin air opposite Dumbledore's seat. "Please, sit down and rest." Matilda complied and sank into the chair, grateful for its sinking comfort. Dumbledore smiled at her relief. "Much better. Now, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Matilda took a shaky breath and sat up a bit straighter. "People are getting suspicious, Professor," she said nervously, not sure how he would take such a proposal.

He merely raised his eyebrows. "Suspicious that you are a werewolf, my dear?"

Matilda flinched. A werewolf...she hated it being said, hated acknowledging it. And yet, it seemed to cross her mind all the time and impact everything she did. Her confrontation with the dementor, her constant worry of werewolf lessons in Defense Against the Dark Arts, her suspicious absences from lessons... It was a shameful thing, and she felt the all-encompassing stigma against herself as Dumbledore said it. She nodded painfully.

"Now, now, Matilda," Dumbledore said, immediately sensing her pang self-hatred. "Do not think so lowly of yourself. Your lycanthropy is a condition you cannot help. But it does not make you any less of the brilliant witch that you are."

Matilda looked up at him. He was smiling at her warmly, as if he saw her as nothing more than an ordinary young witch, not the monster that she truly felt she was. That's what made her feel so safe around Dumbledore; he never treated her any differently for her condition. She trusted him.

"Now," he continued, "what makes you believe that other students are suspicious of your condition? This has never been a problem before."

Because no one has cared enough about me to notice, she thought. But instead, she answered, "It...It's different this time. It's not just other students in general. It's...certain people."

"Oh?" Dumbledore asked, folding his hands on his desk in front of me. "And who are these people?"

Matilda swallowed nervously. "Well...Fred and George Weasley, for one thing," she admitted quietly.

Dumbledore raised is eyebrows in slight surprise. "The Weasley twins?" he asked her. "Why would they be suspicious of your condition?"

Matilda looked down again. "Well...they've both sort of...taken to me," she said.

"That doesn't surprise me," Dumbledore said. "You're a remarkable young woman, Miss White, and Fred and George are both pure of heart. They both chase the magnificent."

Matilda blushed ever so slightly at the compliment. She continued anyhow. "Well...the lot of us have become rather good friends. And we've been spending a lot of time together. And because of that...they're starting to notice things."

"Such as what?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well...they noticed my absence during the full moon. They noticed my concern when we started studying werewolves in Defense Against the Dark Arts. And on the train..." Matilda stopped short. She never told Dumbledore about her confrontation with the dementor. She didn't want to worry him.

"The dementor?" Dumbledore guessed. Matilda's jaw almost dropped. How did he know...? Dumbledore gave a sly smile, slightly amused by Matilda's apparent shock. "Professor Lupin came and reported the incidents on the train to me immediately; you were not the only student to freeze up. Harry Potter did as well."

This made sense; Harry Potter had horrid memories to relive as well. She understood his pain. "Did Professor Lupin tell you...?"

"Why?" Dumbledore finished. Matilda nodded stiffly. "No, of course not. He has no way of knowing what the cause of your incident may have been. Mr. Potter's is known only because he is so famous." He regarded Matilda over his half moon spectacles. "However, I inferred the cause in your situation myself, as I am aware of your condition. The dementor caused you to relive your attack. It made logical sense to me, that you should have some sort of reaction."

"Did you tell Professor Lupin?" Matilda asked quickly, anxiously.

"No, of course not, Matilda," Dumbledore replied evenly. "I swore to you my secrecy, and I intend to keep my word. However, I am unsure as to why you withheld such an occurrence from me."

Matilda couldn't look him in the eyes. "I didn't want you to worry," she said quietly.

Dumbledore gave a small sigh, though not one of true annoyance. "Miss White," he said calmly, "I wish for you to confide in me these things. I want to do everything I can to accommodate you here at Hogwarts. Your condition should not hold you back from receiving your education or cause you to fear what's around you."

Matilda sighed; she knew he was right, but all of these things were hard for her to face. "Thank you, sir," Matilda said quietly. "This truly means a lot to me."

"It is what I'm here for, Miss White." Dumbledore sat back in his chair. "Now, back to the Weasley twins. You're concerned that they're noticing these occurrences and patterns that will lead them to the secret of your lycanthropy?"

Biting her lip, Matilda nodded nervously. "They...They're getting too close to me," she said.

Dumbledore smiled almost sadly at her. "That's what friendship is, Matilda. They're trying to get close to you because they care for you."

"I know," Matilda replied. "And I care for them. But I'm just worried...if they knew the truth about me, they wouldn't care for me at all. They'd despise me."

"Now, I don't know if that's true," Dumbledore said. "I must be honest with you, though. They did come up here inquiring about your absence while you were gone."

Matilda's eyes widened. "They did?" she asked quickly. "What did you tell them?"

"The same story that we agreed upon," Dumbledore said easily. "That you were home caring for your ill father."

Matilda was relieved by that. She had at least told the same story that Dumbledore had told them, or they would really be on her case. Unfortunately, it led to her having to tell the truth about her mother, which was very difficult for her to talk about. She felt bad for lying to them about her whereabouts, but she had to protect them and herself.

"Matilda," Dumbledore said after she was silent for a moment. "I have known the Weasley twins for quite some time. And if I know anything to be true of both of them, it is that they are both very pure of heart." He smiled very slightly. "Anything that they do for you is out of nothing but care for you. I know it's very nerve wracking to be in your situation, to be faced with the prospect of them finding out such a momentous part of your life. But they are your friends. And I believe that they will care for you no matter what.

"I believe they are probably far from finding out the truth about you; they may be suspicious that you are concealing something from them, but I doubt they suspect lycanthropy. But even if they do uncover the truth, I am confident that you can trust them."

Matilda was quiet as she took this in. Could she trust Fred and George? She didn't know... "I...I just don't want to reach the point of having to find out if that's true."

Dumbledore nodded understandingly, his eyes twinkling. "Then we will do everything we can to keep your condition a secret," he replied earnestly. "I'm glad you have come to me with your concerns, Matilda. I want do everything I can to make you feel safe."

Matilda nodded; she knew Dumbledore had her best interest in mind, and that's why she knew that she should tell him what was going on. He knew just as well as she did that her well being would be in danger if anyone found out about her lycanthropy. But Dumbledore was wise, intuitive...if he believed the Weasley twins were trustworthy, then maybe Matilda should take his word for it. That is, if it ever came to such desperate measures...

"Thank you, sir," she said quietly. As she said it, she felt more assured. Dumbledore was there to help her, to keep her safe. She knew nothing bad would happen to her as long as he was around. After all, he kept his word for four years. She knew this was the same.

"You're very welcome, Miss White. Please, keep me updated on the situation. Do not hesitate to report any concerns to me." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at Matilda. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"

Matilda's mind wandered to Professor Lupin. Should she make mention of him as well? It seemed rather pointless. She knew Professor Lupin's curiosities towards her were merely out of concern for her well being and nothing more. Besides, any sort of worry she would bring up would be fruitless. She couldn't ask Dumbledore to make Professor Lupin stop teaching lessons about werewolves. Matilda was concerned for her secret, but such a request was ludicrous. No, that was a situation she would simply have to deal with. There was nothing else to do.

Matilda shook her head. "No, sir. That's all."

Dumbledore seemed to accept this. "Very well, Miss White," he said, standing up. "I shall see you soon. Thank you for coming to me with your concerns. Enjoy the rest of your weekend."

Matilda nodded to him and left his office. Dumbledore will look after me, she told herself as she went. She felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders knowing that Dumbledore believed in Matilda's safety and even his trust of the twins, her friends. She hoped it never had to come to that, but she was glad to know that Dumbledore's assurance was there. As long as she could the twins off her scent, everything would be okay...


	6. Chapter 6: Halloween and Hogsmeade

The twins forgave Matilda of her trespasses and things quickly returned to normal with the trio. As October progressed, the weather grew progressively cold and dreary, and Quidditch season began, which took some time away from the friends' meetings.

"Do you guys do anything but practice?" Matilda complained as she walked Fred and George out to the field with their broomsticks.

George shook his head. "Wood is bloody determined this year. It's his last year at Hogwarts, he'll be crushed if we don't win the Cup."

Fred scoffed. "He can be such a git sometimes," he muttered. As they walked through the Entrance Hall, they noticed that the Hogsmeade schedule was up. It appeared the their first trip to the village would be at the end of the month, on Halloween.

"We can all go to Hogsmeade together," George suggested in an effort to make up their lost time with their friend. "It'll be great. We can go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer and load up on candy at Honeydukes."

Matilda grinned. "That sounds great."

"Besides," Fred said mischievously, nudging Matilda with a wink, "we know all the secret passages outta here. We can have some real fun."

Matilda chuckled. "Now now, don't go off getting us into trouble." Matilda bid them goodbye once they reached the Quidditch field, and Fred and George headed off into the cold, damp locker rooms.

"She's a great witch, that one is," said Fred as they walked inside. Matilda had become slightly more comfortable with them as the term went on. She smiled more and laughed more and joked along with the twins. However, Fred and George knew she was still reserved by nature. She was still sometimes closed up, still sometimes seemed like the weary, timid girl they found on the Hogwarts Express. Fred and George, being her friends, were always concerned for her.

"You think she's okay, mate?" George asked his brother. "I mean...really okay?"

Fred sighed and shook his head. "I dunno, George," he replied quietly. "I hope she is..."

...

While Fred and George were at their Quidditch practice, Matilda made her way back to the library to continue working on the work she had missed from her absence during the full moon. It seemed like a ton of work, especially Snape's Potions essay...

Matilda was writing quickly with her quill when she heard a calm voice say her name. "Matilda?"

Matilda looked up. It was Professor Lupin, crossing the library towards her. "Oh, hello, Professor," Matilda greeted politely.

Professor Lupin smiled gently. "I trust you're feeling better?" he asked.

Matilda tilted her head. "Feeling better...?" she asked warily.

His smile faded for a moment. "Were you not ill in your absence?" he asked her.

"What?" Matilda said, then realized. "Oh...no. I had to return home for a few days. My father was ill."

Professor Lupin pursed his lips momentarily and looked in thought, and Matilda couldn't help but wonder why. "I see," he said, then quickly regaining his friendly demeanor. "Well, I thought I'd tell you the assignment you missed while you were gone. We're moving on from werewolves, but we will be coming back to them within the next few weeks when we study Dark creature wounds." He handed her a roll of parchment. "I would like you to perform some preliminary research about vampires and jot down five interesting facts on this parchment. Sound good?"

Matilda nodded and took the parchment. She was ever so relieved that they were moving on from werewolves. She would be a little less on edge. Perhaps the gap would allow people to forget, and there would be less of a chance that someone noticed her symptoms. Yes, a break would be lovely. "Thank you, Professor Lupin."

"Not a problem," he assured her. He lingered for a moment, looking at Matilda. "Are you sure there's nothing else going on, Matilda?"

Matilda tensed once again, but she tried not to let it show. "No," she replied. "I'm fine."

Very briefly, she noticed his eyes flick to her scar. She almost flinched, as if she could physically feel the eye contact. "Okay," he said quietly. "Please, don't hesitate to tell me if there is, all right?"

Matilda nodded again. "Yes, sir. Thank you." Professor Lupin nodded once, then set off again. Matida looked down and bit her lip. It seemed none of the other students were noticing her symptoms, but maybe Professor Lupin was...

...

The Hogsmeade trip finally rolled around with Halloween. The third years and higher were all excitedly waiting for the trip as they gathered in the Entrance Hall. Students were bundled up in cloaks, scarves, hats, and mittens to brace the cold. The Three Broomsticks was sure to be packed with students hoping to escape the cold and soothe it with a warm drink.

Fred and George told Matilda that they would meet her near the grand suit of armor that stood in the Entrance Hall, and sure enough, when they arrived, Matilda was there waiting. She had on a thick cloak and a Ravenclaw scarf to keep her warm. She smiled sweetly, her dark eyes lighting up when she saw them.

"Good day, my fair lady," said George animatedly when they reached their friend. He held out his arm like a gentleman. "Shall we escort you to the dear village of Hogsmeade on this fine Halloween afternoon?"

Matilda laughed lightly, a melodic laugh, and took his arm. "You shall," she said in her soft-spoken voice. They linked arms, and Fred linked to Matilda's other arm, and they all followed the students out to go to the village.

The walk wasn't long, but the cool air made it seems longer. Fred, George, and Matilda couldn't wait to start looking around in shops to warm up a bit. The cold wasn't bitter quite yet, but it was well on its way as winter approached.

"Ah..." said Fred in relief as they walked into Honeydukes, where the air was always warm and smelled like sugar. "Just what I needed..."

The trio proceeded to load up on Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. They could hardly balance their haul as they went to pay for it.

"That's a lot of candy for such a small girl," George teased good naturedly. Matilda, who's cheeks were rosy from cold and embarrassment starkly on her pale face, nudged him. Once they paid for their candy, they ventured back into the cold.

"I want to go to Tomes and Scrolls," said Matilda eagerly, which was the local bookshop.

Fred rolled his eyes jokingly. "Goodness, woman, don't you spend enough time reading books as is?" he teased. Nevertheless, they walked into the shop.

Matilda could have looked for hours in there had Fred and George not nearly dragged her out. She didn't leave without two books, though, one being an old novel about a young witch who rescues a wizard from false accusation of Dark Arts and their adventure henceforth, and another about ancient dragons.

"Now we have to go to Zonko's!" exclaimed Fred as they dragged Matilda along with her books.

"It wouldn't be Hogsmeade with you two without a trip to Zonko's," Matilda said with a grin.

"And it wouldn't be Hogsmeade with you if we didn't go to Tomes and Scrolls!" said George cheerily. "Always got your nose stuck in a book." Matilda laughed a bit as they went into Zonko's. Just as Matilda was in the book shop, the twins' eyes twinkled as they looked around the joke shop. Matilda had to eventually drag them out, but not without a few Dungbombs and Nose-Biting Teacups now in their midst. The twins grinned.

The group walked down the street nonchalantly, planning on heading to the Three Broomsticks for a hot butterbeer. As they walked, though, Fred stopped. He grinned.

"Hey guys..." he said mischievously. He nodded towards the hill straight ahead, on top of which sat the Shrieking Shack. "How about we have some fun and go take a look in there?"

George goggled at his brother. "Are you mad?" he asked. "That place is haunted to the rafters! We can't go in there!"

"Ah, don't be such a git," said Fred with a wave of a dismissive hand. "I'm sure it's harmless. Loads of students have poked their heads in there before. Come on, it'll be fun!"

George was hesitant. Could it really hurt...? He looked to his friend. "What do you think, Matilda?"

Matilda, who had a minute ago been laughing and joking and smiling, suddenly looked very grim, very guarded. Her dark eyes looked dangerous and she looked even paler than usual despite the rosiness to her cheeks from the cold. "You...you guys go ahead," she finally managed, tearing her gaze from the Shrieking Shack. "I'll just wait at the Three Broomsticks." With that, she hurried off towards the pub.

"Matilda, wait-" Fred tried. But she was already gone. He looked at his brother, who looked back at him uneasily, shrugged, and continued on towards the haunted house.

"What do you think was her trouble?" George asked his brother once they were near the Shrieking Shack.

Fred shrugged. "She was probably just frightened, that's all. Come on." George left it at that, but Fred didn't seem entirely convinced. They walked up the hill towards the Shrieking Shack.

"Fred, are you sure this is a good idea?" George asked, his voice nearly quivering. He was always up for antics, but poking around the most haunted house in Britain? He certainly wasn't keen on the idea.

"Don't be such a git, let's just have a look around the outside," Fred insisted. George gulped, and they trudged up towards the run-down house, slowing their steps as they got nearer, their caution growing...

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The building just seemed old and abandoned. They ventured just a bit closer...

"Bloody hell, it's boarded up," Fred said. He hit one of the boards on the windows, to which George held his breath at the thought of the potential evil spirits lurking inside, but the board merely splintered a bit and squeaked.

Fred pressed his gaze to the boards, peering through a crack between two of them.

"Can you see anything?" George asked apprehensively.

"Nah," Fred said. "Just looks like a dusty old living room if you ask me. No ghosts from this angle." Fred squinted and looked around as much as he could. There was a fine layer of dirt and dust covering everything, but the room was mostly devoid of anything else. Until he looked in the corner...

"George," he said. "Come have a look at this." Fred moved aside to let his brother have a look at what was inside. George hesitantly pressed his gaze through the crack...

"What am I to be looking at?" George asked sharply. "There's nothing in there."

"Look in the corner, to the left." George shifted his glance...

"It looks like...a tunnel. A tunnel that goes into the ground," George noted.

"Exactly!" Fred said, elbowing his brother. "It's a tunnel! That might be a secret passageway!"

"But we know all of the secret passageways at Hogwarts," said George, pulling his gaze away from the crack. "The only one we don't know is..."

"...the Whomping Willow," Fred said, completing his thought. "Don't you see, mate? This could lead to the Whomping Willow! One sinister thing to another, after all."

George scowled. "What's the use of a secret passageway to the Shrieking Shack?" he asked his brother.

Fred shrugged. "I couldn't tell you. But it's worth looking into, don't you think?"

"Yeah," agreed George. "Only we can't pass the tree without it clubbing us to death and the Shrieking Shack is boarded up and crawling with spirits!"

"The holidays are coming up," Fred suddenly interjected. "We'll look into it then. We'll stay back at Hogwarts when there aren't many students around and do our research." His face broke into a wide grin. "This could be big, George. Really big."

George couldn't help but begin to grin too... They were the masters of Hogwarts secret passages and mischief making, after all... "All right. I'm in."

Fred hooted and pumped his fist in the air. "Yes!" They started back down the hill and he threw his arm around his brother. "We make a great team, my dear brother."

George patted his back as well. "Indeed we do," he said. "Now, let's get back to the pub before Matilda thinks we've been killed by a rogue ghost."

Fred and George returned to The Three Broomsticks to have a Butterbeer with Matilda, where they opted not to tell her about their suspicions of the Shrieking Shack's secrets. She still seemed a bit uneasy, and they didn't want to pour salt in the wound.

After the Hogsmeade visit, the Halloween Feast was held, as usual, in the Great Hall. The floating candles were replaced with jack-o-lanterns and the room was decorated with all sorts of decorations, and the House ghosts floating around added to the charm. The tables were decked out with roasts, potatoes, gravy, vegetables, Halloween sweets and desserts, and pumpkin juices. Everyone seemed to be having a grand time.

Fred and George, who had been merrily enjoying the Feast along with everyone else, both took their goblets of pumpkin juice and headed over to visit their friend at the Ravenclaw table. Matilda was smiling and laughing with a few people at the table as well just as Fred and George nudged their way onto the bench beside Matilda, getting a couple reproachful looks from the Ravenclaws that had pushed out of the way.

Matilda looked between them as they grinned at her. "What are you two doing here?" she asked. They held up their goblets of pumpkin juice.

"We would like to propose a small toast," George began.

"To our wonderful new friend," Fred finished.

Matilda's cheeks pinked and she smiled. "Oh? And who's that?"

"Ah, this Ravenclaw fifth year," Fred said easily.

"Quite a lovely and remarkable witch, you should meet her sometime." George winked. Matilda couldn't help but smile more.

"To Matilda White!" Fred chanted as he raised his glass. George did the same. Matilda smiled fondly and raised her own.

"And to the Weasley twins," she added earnestly.

"A simply remarkable trio we make," George said. "To friendship!" They all tapped their glasses and took a swallow of pumpkin juice. They beamed at each other afterwards, and Fred and George winked. A truly remarkable trio they were...


End file.
